Coventry kids are more prone to serious accidents than anywhere else in the region, according to new figures.

Data included in a briefing note to the Children and Young People Partnership Board has revealed that children in the city are 66 per cent more likely to be admitted to hospital following an accident than the average for a child in England.

The serious accident figures for the West Midlands are slightly higher than the national average, but Coventry tops the list with kids in the city 57 per cent more at risk than others here.

Now, the councillor in charge of children’s services at Coventry City Council is calling for more to be done to tackle the accident rate in the city.

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Serious accidents

The Children and Young People Partnership Board is a multi-agency partnership which includes the council, NHS England and the local hospitals and works for the benefit of youngsters in the area.

Data in a briefing note from the latest meeting outlines the levels of hospital admissions following accidents for children in the area aged up to 14 and is based on figures from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA).

The rate of hospital admission after injury is also “statistically significantly higher” in Coventry than similar sized cities in the UK.

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Hospital

Environment a factor

The report also read: “There may be other factors that are associated with the variation in the rate of injuries in children across Coventry’s neighbourhoods.

“Some key areas which may influence the rate of injuries are the environment, where improved planning and design results in safer homes, roads and leisure areas and education to help parents and carers improve the safety of the home environment.”

Ed Ruane

“Common cause of death”

According to ROSPA children from poorer backgrounds are five times more likely to die as a result of an accident than children from better off families.

Cllr Ed Ruane said: “Accidental injuries are a major health problem, they are one of the most common cause of death in children over one year of age.

“Childhood injuries are closely linked with social deprivation and the gap is widening.

“There is currently no understanding or explanation from all partner agencies as to why Coventry has such a high rate of admission to hospital for accidental injury.

“It’s the clearest indication yet that the data provided isn’t regularly being used as a management tool to drive up improvements in how we deliver services to protect children in the city.”